Enclosed switch



June 22, 1954 H. H. FAHNOE ENCLOSED SWITCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug.19, 1950 INVENTOR WiTNESSES:

June 22, 1954 H. H. FAHNOE 2,681,963

ENCLOSED SWITCH Filed Aug. 19, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 WITNESSES: INVENTORPatented June 22, 1954 UNITED STA'i'gg ENCLOSED SW11 CH ApplicationAugust 19, 1950, Serial No. 180,430

6 Claims.

This invention relates to electric switches, and more particularly toenclosed heavy duty switches for power line control.

An object of this invention is the provision of a simple, practical andreliable electrical switch which is easy to produce and is highlysatisfactory in use.

Another object of this invention is that of pro viding an enclosedelectric switch which serves to house and protect switch componentsthereof while maintaining either open-circuit or closedcircuit positionas desired, and which may be operated to open the circuit and exposethes components for setting to desired relation for enclosure.

5. further object of this invention is the provision of an electricswitch of the character noted in whi h the housed components aredisconnected from the electrical supply when they are exposed.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an electricswitch having a housing including a door, which switch is capable ofmaintaining an open circuit or a closed circuit both with the housingdoor closed and of giving indication visible from outside the housingwhen an open circuit prevails.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of an electricswitch of the character noted in which the door is operable for openingthe switch circuit and for exposing components of the switch which maybe set relative to each other so as to give either an open circuit or a.closed circuit as desired when the switch door is closed.

Another object of the present invention is that of providing a door andswitch terminal asserm bly suited for use in an electric switch of thecharacter noted.

These and other objects of this invention will become more apparent uponconsideration of the following detailed description of a preferredembodiment thereof, when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view through an enclosed switchembodying this invention, with the door and terminal assembly of theswitch occupying circuit-closing position;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the door and terminal assembly shown inFigure l, with the terminals disconnected and accordingly representingopen-circuit position of the switch;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view, partially in longitudinal section,depicting certain details of movable connector means in the door andterminal assembly represented in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure is a side elevational view of the lower terminal member of thedevice;

Figure 5 is a front elevational View of the lower erminal member;

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the locking tube;

Figure '7 is an end view of the locking tube; 'ure 8 is a fragmentaryside elevational view of the lower inner surface of the door panel; and

Figures 9 and 10 are detail views of the rodlike looking member utilizedin my improved switch.

:eferring now more particularly to the embodiment of this inventionillustrated in the drawings, the switch is preferably provided with aninsulating housing IQ which may be of any 2 sired insulating material,as for example, diep essed porcelain. The housing 10 preferably s anopen bottom and comprises a rear wall a top wall l2, and opposite sidewalls 3. The ear wall I! is provided with an inwardly exendingprotuberance I l forming with the inegral flange l lo a transversebaffie intermediate ends of insulating casing Hi. The protuberonce asshown, is provided with a cavity opening to the outer side of rear wallll adapted to sceive one end of a mounting bracket 5 for supporting thecasing, for example, from a crosshanger 16, adapted to be secured to thebracket to by a bolt ll. Supporting bracket l5 p eferably secured in thecavity of protuberance l by cementing material 58, which may be anyatisfactory type of cementing material, or may e a metal cast in thecavity around bracket arm Inside casing there are provided upper andlower contact assemblies 29 and 36, respectively, d in cavities in theinner surface of rear i of the casing. The upper contact asy includes aforwardly projecting cona strip 25 of any desired conducting material,such for xample, as copper or the like, with a nt backing stri 22overlying conducting 2?. The outer end of conducting strip 21 ispreferably bifurcated, and the outer end of esili nt backing strip 22 ispreferably formed with three spaced tine portions, the outer ones ofwhich overlie the furcations of contact strip and the middle one ofwhich is formed with 'ardly projectin end portion 23 adapted projectdownwardly between the furcations of contact strip 2!, to form a latchmeans for engagement with the upper end of an upper terminal member 35.Similarly, the lower contact assembly 39 includes a contact strip SI andresilient backing strip 32 overlying contact strip 3%. The outer ends ofstrips 35 and 32 are preferably provided with an arcuate contact portionfor receiving a tube 10 within casing it.

The contact assemblies 2% and 38 are mounted in position in casing it bysubstantially U-shaped clamp members ii having an enlarged bight portionfor the reception of a line conductor, with a screw ii threaded throughan aperture in one wall of the bight portion to clamp the conductortherein. The contact and backing strips of each of the contactassemblies are received between the outer ends of the corresponding oneof the U- shaped clamps M3, as is one leg of the corresponding angledsupporting bracket t3, Securing means, such for example, as screws 3,are adapted to extend through one leg of each U-shaped clamp it andthrough apertures in the contact and backing strips, to be threadedlyengaged in the other leg of each clamp 4i Each angled supporting bracket$3 is provided with a slot in V the outer edge thereof for receiving anintermedi ate portion of the corresponding screws it so that the entirecontact assemblies may be slipped off or on brackets d3 when screws isare loosened, and may be secured to the brackets merely by tighteningscrews ie when the assemblies are in position. The other legs of angledbrackets d3 are secured in depressions formed in the inner surface ofrear casing wall H, preferably in the same manner that supportingbracket !5 is secured in the cavity of protuberance i i.

A front side opening in casing It is adapted to be closed by a door 59of insulating material, such for example, as porcelain, a syntheticresin, or the like. The door l9 of easing iii comprises a door panel ashaving at the outer surface thereof an integral projection 85, extendingoutwardly and apertured, as at 82, for the reception of a hook stickoperating member, or the like, for manipulation of the door to open andclosed positions with respect to the main body of casing it. Door paneltil is suited at the inner side thereof for supporting a terminalassembly. This terminal assembly includes the upper and lower terminals35 and 5t, spaced from each other and individually corresponding to theupper and lower line contact assemblies 2! and ti! hereinbeforedescribed, and further comprises movable connector means 983 forconnecting and disconnecting the spaced terminals 35 and 59.

The door i9 is operative for bringing the spaced terminals 35 and iii!to position for engaging the corresponding line contact assemblies 26and til, and in the latter position the door closes the front of casingiii. Also, when desired, the door it may 'be brought to an open positionrelative to the front of the casing it, thereby bringing the terminals35 and 59 to open-circuit relation with re spect to the line contactassemblies 25 and (iii.

Of further importance, the door is highly useful for closing the frontof casing l6 without effecting closure of the circuit across the linecontact assemblies 2i and 3%. This use is made possible by virtue of themovable connector means St between the switch terminals 35 and 563,which connector means may be moved to disconnecting position relative tothe terminals before the door 53 is closed. Thereafter, the door isoperative to close the casing in to avoid exposure of the various switchcomponents inside, including electrically conductive parts, and forprotecting the housed parts against the effects of weather where outdooruse of the switch is had. Also, under these conditions, the movableconnector means 98 remains inside the casing iii, protected againstloss, and available at any time for use in again connecting thedoor-supported terminals 35 and 50 and thus rendering the switchoperative for closing the circuit across the line contact assemblies 20and 30.

As shown, the upper terminal 35 includes a substantially cylindricalterminal member 36, for example made of an electrically conductivematerial such as copper, a copper alloy, or the like. The top endsurface of this terminal member 38 conveniently is formed by an integralprojecting contact 3? for passing under and engaging in electricallyconductive relation the upper line contact assembly 2%. At the oppositeend, the upper terminal member 36 has a reduced shank portion 38threaded or otherwise suited or engaging the movable connector means as.A contact 39 (see Figure 2), as in the form of an axially extendingintegral tip of the shank portion 38 of the upper terminal member 36, isprovided for connection with the movable connector means cc.

The inner surface of the door panel to in the present embodiment isprovided, intermediate the ends thereof, with spaced longitudinallyextending integral ribs 83, adjacent the upper ends of which is anintegral projection 8 apertured for the reception of the shank portion38 of the upper terminal member 36. For assembly with the door I9, theshank 38 is inserted downwardly through the aperture in projection 84,until abutment of a shoulder on the terminal member 36, formed at theZone of reduction of diameter of the terminal member 36 to produce theshank 38, is achieved against the adjacent upper surface of projection84. The shank 38 of upper terminal member 36 preferably is suflicientlylong to produce a considerable run of threads beneath the projection 84and to expose the tip contact 39. Integral upstanding brackets 35 areprovided above projection 8d joining it to door panel Bil, and they arejoined by a curved wall portion to conform to the curvature of the upperterminal member 36. Also, one of the brackets 85 preferably is providedwith a threaded aperture for receiving a set screw 8'6 to preventremoval of the terminal member 35 from projection 8t, and set screw 86conveniently is received in a side aperture in the upper terminal member36.

In the embodiment illustrated, the connector means 98 includes alaterally inflexible conductor rod 9! (see Figure 3) having an endcontact head 92, for abutment against, and separation from, tip contact39 on the upper terminal meber 36. This conductor rod 9! may be tubularand closed off at one end by the integral enlarged head affording thecontact 92, and for example is made of copper, copper alloy, or thelike. Surrounding the head 92 of conductor M, and rotatable on the same,is a terminal engaging and disengaging element, such as an internallythreaded nut 94 in which the threads correspond to those on the upperterminal member 35, for moving the contact 92 to and from pressureconnection with the upper terminal member contact as. Stop rings 95 and96, which may have threaded outside edges engaging the threadsinteriorly within nut 94, are disposed in the bore of the nut 94 andoccupy fixed positions on opposite sides of the conductor head 92, as bybeing cleated or clinched to the bore wall, thus to prevent longitudinalseparation of the nut 94 and conductor SI, and yet allow clearance forrelative rotation of the same. .In this, the stop ring 95 has an openinglarge enough to freely receive contact tip 39 of the upper terminalmember 36 and admit free passage of this tip 39 to abutment againstcontact head 92 when nut 94 is tightened onto the threaded shank 33. Thestop ring 95 likewise has an opening large enough to fully receive stem9| of movable connector means 90, the stem passing substantially axiallyoutwardly from the corresponding end of the nut 94, and aifording anouter end which receives a flexible conducting lead or tail 9'! of theconnector means 99. The conducting tail 9? illustratively is a loopedcable of twisted-together strands made of copper, copper alley, or othersatisfactory conducting material. In preferred practice the conductingtail 9? is doubled lengthwise to form an outside loop leaving its freeinner ends passing side by side through the inside of tubular rod 9| tothe head 32, and attached to the latter as by welding or integration atthe time the head 92 is formed. The outer looped portion of theconducting tail 9'? is conveniently connected with lower terminal 5b ina manner which will be more readily understood hereinafter.

As shown, door panel 89 is also provided at the inside surface with anintegral apertured projection 87 (Fig. 8) adjacent the lower endthereof. Extending upwardly from projection 81 and integral therewithand with the door panel 80 are spaced brackets S8, joined by a curvedconnecting wall portion adapted to conform to the curvature of tube 10upon the latter extending through the aperture in the projection 8? justmentioned, for locking the lower terminal so in place on the door 49.The lower terminal 5c of the door and terminal assembly includes a lowerterminal member 5! removably associated with the door. This feature ofremovability in the present instance is achieved by the provision of atransverse slot or groove 39 in the inner surface of the door panel Ellintermediate the spaced brackets 83 for the reception of a curvedrod-like locking member (Fig. 9) having oppositely outwardly extendingend portions 58! to form pintles adapted to extend outwardly throughnotches Hi2 formed in the brackets 83. The rod-like locking member tiltis itself maintained in position in groove 39 by the looking oroverlying tube iii, and may readily be assembled in position merely bywithdrawing the tube 16 from the aperture in projection 81, placing therod-like member Hill in groove 89 and then inserting the tube backthrough the aperture in projection 87 so as to overlie the rod-likemember I00.

The pintle portions It! of member tilt are adapted to support lowerterminal member 5! of the switch door assembly. As shown in. thedrawing, terminal member 5i comprises space sidewalls 52 aperturedadjacent the upper ends thereof for the reception of pintle portionsiill, respectively, and fur her includes an integral connecting wall 53also located adjacent the upper ends of the side walls 52 for rigidlyconnecting the sides 52 of the terminal member 5!. The lower portions ofside walls 52 of the lower terminal member 513 are provided with slotsopen ing respectively to the forward edges thereof, and each slot beingre-entrant at the inner end for r ceiving pivot pins 1'05 supported onthe side walls 13 of the insulating casing l0.

By the provision of slots Si in the terminal 6 member 5 i, it will beseen that the terminal mem her 5! may be readily attached and withrespect to the supporting pivots I86 by movement of the terminal memberEl to cause entrance or 5 exit of supporting pins its into the slotswill be noted that slots 54 in the terminal member 5i line up withnotches It? provided in opposite side edges of the door panel 8% topermit this terminal member 55, when assembled with the door IE, to beengaged or disengaged with pivot pins H35. Notches 197 in door panel 8%preferably are flared outwardly to facilitate easy entrance of pivotpins H36 into these notches Hi? and slots 5 in the terminal member 5 i.

The upper end of the connecting wall 53 of the lower terminal member 5icomprises an integral extension 55 turned about 90 inward in advance ofthe upper ends of the terminal side walls 52 to form a contact terminalportion for engagement with contact strip 31 or" the lower contactassembly it when the switch is in operative position. Preferably, thecontact terminal portion 55 has an arcuate cut-out edge at the outer endthereof, similar to that at the outer end of contact strip 3! andresilient backing strip 22, to accommodate the tube iii.

other end of lower terminal member and more particularly the connectingwe thereof, is extended beyond the correspon ends of side walls 52 andbent angular-1y, example, approximately at an angle of form a tor 1nalportion 5'3 apertured ad; the outer end thereof for the reception headedstud 58 for connection to the tail lea 35 or" the movable connectormeans 86.

o' r, as is also the apertin p'eventin relative rotative movement 0 40'jacent portions of the terminal portion stud The stud 53 also includes0 Line ed portion for cooperation with a cured to the nut 59 by integralta: per the washer bent into a pcri her-a1 in the outer surface of thenut in a loose ner to prevent relative separating mover the washer andnut while permitti' movement thereof, Washer 6i is prov an aperture alsonon-circular in form, form of the inner portion of stud 53 upon rotationof the nut 55, washer longitudinally of the stud 53 with nut preventedfrom rotating on the stud For assembling 1 wer terminal mcmb" includingthe supported stud 53, nut washer i i upon the door it is but a er 1pmatter to introduce the pintles id! of rod-1i locinng member into theapertures in w ls of the lower terminal member Thereafter, the lowerterminal member 5 seated to the po. with the rod-lice locking member a yI groove 39 in the panel 8%. Locking tube 1- is inse; upward from thebottom door .e, as viewed in Figures 1 and 2, through t. l projection23'? of the door panel 81'! and f rther upward over the rod-like locking7 member I00. The lower end of tube iii conveniently has an angularextension ll bent upward, as on about a 45 angle, to overlie theinturned terminal portion which supports the stud 58, nut 58 and washer60.

This angular extension H preferably is in the form of a fiat tab ofsheet metal seating at one end in a chord-like slot (Fig. 6) cut intothe lower end of tube '50 and welded, soldered or otherwise secured tothe tube l8. Beyond the lower end of the tube 70, the tab ii is bentupward so as to occupy a plane substantially parallel to the plane ofterminal portion 5?. The upper end of the tab "H is bifurcated ornotched to accommodate the stud 5%, so that the extension ii may beclamped between the outer surface of terminal portion 5'! and the innersurface of washer 6i.

Thus, by advancing the locking tube "it upward over the rod-like lockingmember Hit the tube "iii becomes eifective for retaining the rod likeelement Hill against escape. Of further consequence, the lower terminalmember 55 may be rotated on the pintles [ti of this rod-like ele mentitt to align the angular tab ii for insertion between terminal portion5? and washer ii! for the bifurcated end of the tab ll to receive thestud 58. With further upward movement of the locking tube it thebifurcated end of the tab it receives the stud 58 and forces theterminal portion 5? inward toward the door panel it by rotation of theterminal member 5| on the pintles ii i of the bar-like locking memberiilt.

Tightening of the nut 59 and washer 5! down onto the underlyingbifurcated end of angular tab l'l serves to clamp the tab H andaccordingly the tube 70 in position indicated in Figures 1 and 2. Also,after being clamped in this position, in the manner just described, thelook-- ing tube it prevents rotation of the terminal member 5! onpintles lili by virtue of extending through the aperture in projection8? of the door panel 39 and because of being held against longitudinalwithdrawal by the clamping action of nut 59 and terminal portion 5?.restrains unitary escape of terminal member 5i and the rod-like element[M3, by virtue of overlying the rod-like element Hit and being held inplace by extending through the aperture in projection 87 of door panel80.

It will be noted that the rod-like locking member itt constitutes alocking extension or part extending from terminal member 5! and abuttingagainst the sides of the groove 89 in panel 89 of door it to preventrelative endwise movement between door 19 and terminal member 52. slidable locking means it, guided by the aperture in projection 8i,releasably engages the locking extension iliil.

For adding the movable conductor means as to the switch door assembly,the flexible lead or tail bl of this conductor means is introduced intothe upper end of the bore of tube it! and is pushed down the bore andout the lower end of the same. The lower portion of the lead or tail S'ithereafter is pulled and introduced to a point of connection with thelower terminal member El, as by loosening the nut 59 sufiiciently forinsert= ing the tail 9"! between washer El and tab ll of the tube iii,and thereafter tightening the nut so as to obtain firm connection of thetail iii in this position. Where the lower end of tail 91 is in the formof a loop, this looped portion is conveniently pushed downwardly throughthe bore of tube l0 and pulled out a sufiicient distance The tube "at 8to pass over the upper portion of nut 59 and washer 6i, and down on thestud 58 between the washer El and tab ll. Thereafter, the nut 5B istightened toward the underlying portion of the lead or tail 9? to clampthe same against tab H and terminal portion 5?.

Tail or lead 9? of the movable connector means 8G is long enough, onceconnected to the lower terminal portion 5? by nut 5 washer 6-! and stud5b, to enable pull exerted on the stem M, or upper terminal engaging anddisengaging element 94, to bring the latter to the upper terminal member36, the threads, for example, in the element 9 then being turned ontothe corresponding threads on shank 38 of the upper termina1 member 35thus to bring the contacts 92 and 39 to firm abutment. Electricalconnection accordingl is established between upper termi nal member 35and the lower terminal member 5i. When connection between the upper andlower terminal members 3t, prevails, it is preferred thatsubstantially'all slack be out of the flexible lead or tail 9?, thus forexample rendering the front of switch door is or other portions of theswitch casing it effective for concealing the lower portion of the leador tail 9?. This s achieved simply by making the length of the movableconnector means suiiicient to assure that the flexible lead or tail 9iwill be drawn upwardly through tube iii, removing slack, when the upperterminal engaging and disengaging portion 3 is brought to engagementwith the upper terminal member 36. The substantial concealment of thelead or tail ,9? in the manner indicated is useful for denoting that theupper and lower terminal members 323 and Si of the switch areelectrically connected by the movable connector means Bil.

In the connected relation of the several elements just mentioned, thelower end of stem ill of the movable conector means 9d convenientlyremains inside the upper end of tube it for guidance by the latter whenit is desired to disconnect the movable connector means 95 from theupper terminal member 35. Disconnection in the pres ent instance isreadily achieved by reverse rotation of the upper terminal engaging anddisengaging portion 9 3 thus, for example, backing off the threadsthereof from the corresponding threads of the shank 38 and separatingcontacts 15% and 92. Once this disconnection has been achieved, themovable connector means 99 may be moved back from. the upper terminalmember 5G, this. movement, for example, being guided by stem Si movingfarther and farther into tube it. The advancement of stem iii into thetube it introduces slack to the flexible lead or tail ill, and thisslack conveniently passes through the open bottom of casing iii andbecomes visible from the exterior to indicate disconnection of the upperand low-er terminals 35 and 5d of the switch and the fact that theswitch is in opencircuit position. The movable connector means Stpreferably is positively supported to the switch door ill a safedistance away from the upper terminal 35 of the switch, as by engagingthe threads of the upper terminal engaging and disengaging portion twith corresponding threads provided on the upper end of tube iii. Theposit ve securement of the movable connector means 93 to the switch doorl9, as in the manner indicated, prevents accidental displacement of theconnector element 9% back to circuit-closing position with respect toupper terminal member 36.

Thus it will be seen that the door it and the terminal and switchingassembly supported by the, same are readily attached to the pins 196- onthe casing side walls It, by moving the door and notches liil therein,and the lower terminal member and slots 54' therein, to receive the pins06 when the door is in an open position. The pins Hi6 finally seat inthe re-entrant ends of the slots 5l-in lower terminal member i and thusprevent escape of the door it and form a pivot for the door and theswitching assembly mounted thereon. Upward rotation of the door [9 tothe position indicated in Figure 1 brings contact 3? of the upperterminal member 36 to engage beneath the line contact 25, the latterbeing urged to electrical conductive relation with the contact ill bythe associated backing strip 2 Also, contact portion of the lowerterminal member 5i moves under line contact 3|, which is, urged to firmelectrical connection with the contact by the associated backing strip32. With connector means ilil interconnecting the upper and lowerterminal members 3% and 5|, as indicated in Figure 1, an electrical pathmay be traced from lower line Contact 3i, lower termina1 5% of theswitch door it, fieX ible lead or tail portion 2? of movable connectormeans and on through the connecting means il to upper terminal member 33of the switch door and urine line terminal this position of ti 9 movableconnector SB, it will seen that substantially all of the slack is gonefrom the flexible lead or tail 9? to indicate closed-circuit conditionof the switch. Of course, with the switch door til closed and themovable connector means iii? occupying the open circuit position,indicated in Figure 2, the electrical path just traced is open at themovable connecting means and line contact assemblies 2 and 38 of theswitch thus are disconnected. In the latter position, it will be seenthat a considerable amount of slack exists in the hie l ad or tail ti togive a visible e: ternal indication that the line terminals 29 and 3%are dsconnected within the switch. In either of the ositions repr sentedin Figures 1 and the inner parts or" the switch are protected by the iiand the closed door thereof.

With the switch in closed position represented in Figure 1, opening ofthe switch door l9 by rotation of same on pins iiifi serves to withdrawupper t nal member as from connection with upper switch contact 2%, andthus the path between line contact assemblies and 3i? is opened. Whendoor is is open, this door and the switch components supported thereonmay be bodily lifted from the pins 5%, if desired, to detach the samefrom the rest of the casing to and the switch components suppor ed bythe latter. Adjustments of the movable connector means 98 to or fromcircuit-closing position relative to upper and lower terminal members 3%and Si, accordingly, are conveniently made without danger of shockbefore once again placing the door back on pins I96. Instead, ifdesired, adjustment of the movable connector means 5% may be had merelyby opening the door it for access to the movable connector means withoutremoval of the door from pins lilo. In the open position of door !9,contacts 3! and 55 are separated, and so are the contacts 2: and 3'.and, therefore, the terminals 35 and 5i! and the movable connector meansiiii may be handled without sustaining electrical shock.

Many of the parts of the switch disclosed, such as hOLlSlllg it, itscontacts 26 and so, as well as parts of the door and terminal to, areidentical with the like parts of the fuse disclosed in 10 H. L. RawlinsPatent 2,359,153. One reason for this that a door carrying a fuse, as thRawlins patent, will be interchangeable with the switch door l9illustrated herein.

Having described a preferred embodiment of the invention in accordancewith he patent statutes, it is desired that the invention be intopretedas broadly as possible, and th t t be not limited to the particularembodimei disclosed inasmuch as it will be obvious, particularly topersons skilled in the art, that many modifications and changes may bemade in the par cular emb t without departin from the broad spirit andscope of the invention. Accor ingly, it is d sired that the invention beinter preted as broadly as possible and that it lim ited only by what isexpressly set forth in the folloivi g claims by the prior art.

1 claim as my invention:

1. In a door and switch terminal assembly for an enclosed disconnectingswitch, a casing door member, a switch terminal member, means for keyingsaid members against relative endwise movement and includin a keyextension from one of said members abutting the other of said members toarrest said relative endwise movement, and slidable key-securing meansguided on one of said members for movement to and from position ofreleasable connection with the other of said members and of releasablyengaging said hey extension, respectively to interlock said membersagainst relative transverse separation and to free the same fo saidseparation.

2. in a door swit n assembly for an enclosed disconnecting stitch, acasing door member, a switch terminal ber, means for interloc ng saidmembers against relative 911p. vise movement and including a keyextension from one of said members and abuttin the other of said membersto arrest said relative endwise movement, a slidable izey-securing tubeguided 1 id door member for movement to and from position of releasableconnection with said terminal member and of r .sably engaging said lzeyextension, respectively to interlock said members against relativetransverse separation and to free the same for said separation, aflexible disconnecting extending through said tube from said terminalmember and having a contact at the opposite end t. ereof, a secondterminal member mount-ed on said door member adjacent said contact endof the lead, and means for connectin .connectin said contact on lead andsaid second terminal respectively for connecting and disconnecting saidterminals.

3. a door switch erminal assembly for an nclosed disconnecting switch, acasing door member, switch terminal member, means for interlocking saidmembers against relative end wise movement and including a key extensionfrom one or" said members and abutting the other of said members to estsaid relative endwise movement, a sli-zlable key-securing tube guided onsaid door member i'or movement to and from position of releasable connecion with terminal member and of releasaoiy engagingsaid key extension,respectively to interloci d members against relative transverseseparation and to free the same for said separation, a flexibledisconnecting lead extending through said tube from said terminal memberand having a contact at the opposite end thereof, a second terminalmember mounted on said door member and adjacent said oontact end of thlead, means ro 11 tatably connected with the contact end of saiddisconnecting lead for engaging said second terminal and said tuberespectively for connecting and disconnecting said terminals.

4. In a door and switch terminal assembly for an enclosed disconnectingswitch, a casing door member, a switch terminal member, means for keyingsaid members against relative endwise movement and including a partretained by said terminal member and seated in a groove in said doormember to arrest said relative endwise movement, and slidablekey-securing means guided on one of said members for movement to andfrom position of releasable connection with the other of said membersand of releasably engag ing said part, respectively to key said membersagainst relative transverse separation and to free the same for saidseparation.

5. In a door and switch terminal assembly for an enclosed disconnectingswitch, a casing door member, a first switch terminal member, means forinterlocking said members against relative endwise movement andincluding a key extension from one or" said members and abutting theother of said members to arrest said relative endwise movement, aslidable key-securing tube guided on one or said members for movement toand from position of releasable connection with the other of saidmembers and of releasably engaging said key extension, and a flexibledisconnecting lead extending through said tube from connection with saidfirst switch terminal memher and having a contact at the opposite endthereof, a second switch terminal member mounted on said door memberspaced away from said first switch terminal member and away from the farend of said tube from the latter terminal member, and means forconnecting and discon- 12 necting the contact end of said flexibledisconnecting lead with said second switch terminal member and with thefar end of said tube from the first terminal member to close and openconnection across said terminals, said flexible lead being of suchlength and movable through said tube as to have slack between said firstswitch terminal member and said tube upon said terminals beingdisconnected and to substantially dissipate the slack upon saidterminals being connected.

6. A switch including a casing having an opening therein, a door forclosing said opening, spaced line contacts disposed inside said casingand secured thereto, spaced terminals secured to said door and movabletherewith, the spaced terminals cooperatin with the spaced line contactsto engage and disengage respectively upon closing and opening the door,a laterally inflexible conducting rod slidably supported on said doorfor movement to and away from bridging rela tion with respect to saidterminals, a flexible connection for electrically connecting one end ofthe rod at all times with one of the spaced terminals on the door, andmeans detachably connecting the other end of the rod to the other spacedterminal on the door.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,701,877 Foster Feb. 12, 1929 2,146,577 Hermann Feb. 7, 19392,335,062 Hermann Nov. 23, 1943 2,357,853 Smith, Jr. Sept. 12, 19442,359,153 Rawlins Sept. 26, 1944 2,385,473 Schultz Sept. 25, 1945

